Sweat Sweet Fate
by Magic Magician
Summary: Fate has so many paths and all of them are uncertain. People are marked as failures, geniuses, prodigies, avengers, nuisances, etc. But as it's been said before, it is uncertain and it has many up's and downs. People change. So does fate? Sasu/Fem!Neji. [Reupload]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So...this a repost of my first story written in this language since this ain't my mother one. hope you enjoy.**

 **A/N 2: There will only be two genderbending cases: Neji and Tenten, since the gennin squads are integrated by two men and a woman.**

 **Summary: Fate has so many paths and all of them are uncertain. People are marked as failures, geniuses, prodigies, avengers, nuisances, etc. But as it's been said before, it is uncertain and it has many up's and downs. People change. So does fate? Sasu/Fem!Neji. Sasuke struggles with loss and the betrayal of his brother following a path of darkness. Neji is drowning on bitterness and hate towards the Main Family. Could they find a light at the end of the tunnel? Follows manga story line.**

 **Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to own Naruto I don't, but I'm grateful since no one but Kishimoto-sensei could've created Naruto as amazing as it is.**

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 ** _Ch.1: The Blind Reaper_**

Such a warm day in Konoha it was.

"Did you heard what happened to the Uchihas?"

"Oh, what a tragedy! Only Captain Fugaku's youngest son survived."

"Itachi looked like a fine boy. Who could've though he'd be capable of performing such carnage–"

"Shhhh. There's the boy."

After two weeks in the hospital, 9-year-old Sasuke was released and it seemed that Konoha didn't had another conversation topic.

It was almost sunset and he had decided to take a walk. Get as far as possible from his house; the memories. The empty streets which just a week ago had been red painted with Uchiha blood. His brother's room. Anything. But it was turning out worst. Every person spared glances at his little frame and all of them were pity ones, and oh how he loathed it.

He had tried to think of any other thing. He tried to think it was a bad dream –a nightmare- of sorts or something. That he had been two weeks in the hospital because he had broken a bone or something during training with his father or brother, and that once he got home his aunt would give him special treats she had prepared, and his mom would scold him for nagging his brother into playing with him or something.

Sasuke began walking towards Konoha's outskirts trying –unsuccessfully- to convince himself everything was a lie –when by the corner of his eye he caught sight of the blond stupid boy in his class. Now that he thought of it, he was always was alone.

The boy who always challenged him and was portrayed as the clown of the class was alone –as always- picking on grass blades. He looked so lonely. Sasuke suddenly had the foreign urge to approach the boy and… hug him? –like he wanted someone to hug him- and tell him he could make it, but suddenly the boy looked up at him.

He stared at those blue orbs and they stared back. The boy's eyes did not denoted mock or silliness as in school. They denoted sadness, and for a moment he had the sensation of watching his own eyes in a mirror. His eyes since the incident.

Naruto looked as if he wanted to say something but the words seemed as if they were lingering on the tip of his tongue. The Uchiha boy walked away before the Uzumaki could say whatever he wanted to say. He did not wanted to hear more empty apologies.

Deep inside Sasuke regretted not staying. He knew Naruto was not going to pity him. He knew it could have been better if he had just stayed there a little longer. He had a vague feeling –very deep down- that Naruto could somehow help him… but his pride was bigger and he did not returned.

Sasuke strolled a little bit more, not really knowing where he was heading. The shadows had eventually grown till the whole forest was covered by the immense dark mantle. The night had fallen and the only thing he could hear were the noises nocturne animals produced and the wind's howling, but he wasn't scared. He barely could be scared after what Itachi had done.

Sasuke was lost and his feet hurt for walking too much, but he couldn't care less. In his mind, that was what he wanted. Get lost and never return to that compound, or the village, or any place where his brother had ever laid a foot.

A cold breeze hit his lithe body and he shivered. Sasuke scolded himself for not bringing a coat. His mother would always remind him of bringing a coat.

His mother. At this time he would be taking dinner with his family…which now was gone. A hot meal. A warm hug or even the curt nods his father gave him. The smiles or the head pokes Itachi gave him –which were a farce. He missed it all and without it, he was slowly falling into a deep abyss.

His eyes began to water and his knees buckled forcing him to fall on them. He truly was pathetic. He had not been able to do something to prevent it. Sasuke just wanted to see his mom again, and his dad, and his aunt, and his uncle and, it suddenly dawned on him–he couldn't unless he was with them.

The long grass blades prickled his bare arms and legs. He could feel the humid dirt under his nails, and the hot salty tears mingled with his own nose fluids drowning his face and falling onto that wet dirt which was slowly transforming into a minuscule mud puddle. Maybe if he stayed there he could die and –maybe– he could feel his mother's hugs again.

The little Uchiha laid on the ground and stayed still as if waiting for a hooded figure with a long sickle appear and tell him 'Here you are, Uchiha Sasuke. I'm here to take you with your mom and your dad who miss you. At the other side.'

But it never came. That could be his rebellious act against Itachi. _He_ wanted him alive, so Sasuke would die and he would get his little _vendetta_ –even at his own life's cost- on Itachi.

He heard footsteps and closed his eyes believing it was the hooded figure…only it wasn't.

"What are you doing?" a feminine voice asked instead of the raspy and crooned voice he was expecting.

 _'The reaper was a girl?'_

Sasuke slowly opened his eyes and white eyes stared at him.

 _'The reaper is a blind girl!'_

"Have you come for me?" he asked.

"Who do you think I am?" the girl questioned slightly annoyed. Was this kid expecting someone or what?

Sasuke sat up wiping his tears and stared at her.

She didn't looked like a reaper. She had long dark brown hair and even her skin which was white was not a ghostly white. She also was sporting some bandages around her forehead, a white tank top and a beige jacket wrapped around her waist, black shorts, and ninja sandals. So… she was a ninja…? The girl also looked about his age.

"Well…the reaper, but I suppose you're not…are you?" he answered. Sasuke inwardly cringed hoping she wasn't one of his fangirls but so far she hadn't given any sign of knowing him.

The annoyance abandoned her features and instead there was a confused expression which quickly morphed into a concerned one.

"What's your name?" she asked. Phew! She wasn't a fangirl. But anyways, who was she to believe she could just ask his name?

"It's common courtesy to give your own name before you ask someone else's." he answered slightly glaring at the girl.

The girl narrowed her pupiless eyes at him and then he knew she wasn't blind. She was a Hyuga.

"Hyuga Neji." The girl stated courtly still staring at him intently.

Sasuke hesitated a little before speaking.

" _Uchiha_ Sasuke."

Neji's eyes widened in recognition and Sasuke inwardly prepared himself for the pity words.

"And why are you waiting for the reaper?"

"Look, I don't need your pity-" he began annoyed but stopped in middle sentence "wait, what?" he asked in disbelief.

"They're annoying, right?" Neji chuckled darkly, her white eyes gazing into the distance. Sasuke supposed she was referring to the pity words and he only nodded.

"Well, will you answer me?"

Sasuke wanted to snap at the Hyuga, saying that he wouldn't be saying her a thing but his mouth spoke first.

"So it can take me with my family."

Neji stared at him blankly.

"It won't come, you know?" Neji said sitting by his side, twirling a kunai between her fingers absentmindedly.

Sasuke's anger won this time and he snapped.

"And how would you know?"

"Because I also waited for it." She answered embedding the kunai on the dirt.

A sudden silence reigned over the little clearing where they were. Neji was looking at the floor, twirling between her fingers a grass blade, her chin resting on her knees.

At this Sasuke got surprised and suddenly asked himself what was Neji doing in the forest at night.

"Do you also miss someone?" Sasuke questioned while rubbing his legs and arms. It was chilly.

The Hyuga noticed that, and since she just had finished her training she didn't felt cold. Neji removed the jacket and placed it on the boy's shoulders.

"My dad. The only person I had." The Hyuga answered, the wind waving her long coffee hair behind her back. She looked about Sasuke's age so she must've lost her dad long before he had…lost his, since she looked so calm.

Sasuke attempted to give her back the jacket but she only waved him away.

"Keep it. I have lots in my closet."

Sasuke stared at the beige jacket –which fitted him perfectly- and put it on. It was very light and comfy, so the cold instantly was gone and he cuddled with it a little more. Then, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.

"Aren't you cold?" he asked. She was leaning on a nearby tree so he approached her and sat next to her.

"No, I've been training." Was her simple reply as she stared at the sky –at the sparkling stars. Sasuke followed her gaze and noticed in awe that the stars truly looked beautiful from that point. His mom and he used to go to the lake where he trained with his dad, sit at the pier's edge and watch the stars.

Memories of his family flooded him and the constant pain in his chest intensified. He felt as if some foreign being was oppressing his chest painfully, feeling as if it would burst at any second. The little Uchiha began to sob silently, his body shaking, when he felt a small hand on his shoulder.

White wide eyes stared at him and instead of comforting him, she stared hard at him and asked.

"Who is responsible for this?"

"I-Itachi." Sasuke mumbled hugging his knees.

"Well, tonight you'll only cry, but it will be the last time. Have you heard me?" she commanded and grabbed his shoulders making them connect their gazes. Sasuke only continued sobbing.

"You will live and train very hard so you can take revenge on who took away your family."

"B-but Itachi was also m-my fa-family." Sasuke wept, his eyes red from crying.

"My family was the one who took my father away, but I'm going to avenge him and… I won't cry again." She stared at his eyes as if trying to transmit her message telepathically. A tinge of grief and bitterness was visible deep into her hard –for her age- eyes.

Sasuke nodded and she did what she had never done in an awfully long time. She hugged the boy one year younger than her and held him all the time he cried.

Sasuke clung to the Hyuga girl which was giving him what he was craving for. A hug. Not comforting or pity words. He only wanted someone to say him that he could do it and a hug.

They stayed like that for hours till they both got asleep.

:.:.:.:.:.:

The next morning when they both woke up, they were laying on the floor, their limbs tangled being the only heat source on the cold night.

They stood up and stretched. Their necks and backs were stiff but Sasuke felt a small relief after that night.

"Neji." Sasuke called.

The girl turned around, her hair standing out on funny directions which made Sasuke chuckle and Neji aware of her appearance.

"What, Sasuke?" she answered trying to placate her rebellious –once obedient- hair.

"Could you…help me?" he asked. Silence, in that moment, was the only thing that could be heard. They both knew with what Sasuke required help.

"Meet me next Monday here after school." She stated and turned around leaving.

Sasuke only stared at her fading figure and unconsciously held tightly the beige jacket around his frame.

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 **Thanks for reading**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to own Naruto I don't, but I'm grateful since no one but Kishimoto-sensei could've created Naruto as amazing as it is.**

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 ** _Ch.2: Sharing-bento_**

The next day Sasuke rushed after school towards the spot where he had slept last Friday.

He tried remembering the path he had taken last time as he passed the numerous houses. After a while they began fading as he neared the forest. When the Uchiha crossed the space where Naruto had been, he found himself being disappointed by the blonde's absence. Sasuke shook his head as if trying to wipe those thoughts away. Hn. He should be happy –'should' being the key word. Setting those thoughts on the back of his mind he successfully found the clearing.

Sasuke sat under the tree where they had fallen asleep last Friday and only had to wait about five minutes for Neji. She was wearing her usual attire and was holding a small plastic bag in one hand.

"Hi" he greeted her not really knowing how to act around her. She gave him in response a short nod. Sasuke wasn't much of a conversation type but right now he had an idea of how annoying he was to people with his curt nods and 'Hn's'.

"And…how old are you?" Sasuke asked in an attempt of conversation.

Neji, who was tying bullseyes on the trees, turned around facing him with a stoic expression rather unusual for a 10-year-old.

"I'm 10 and…I assume you are 9, right?" she questioned the Uchiha.

"Hai" Sasuke had a good idea of what they would be doing since he had already seen –Itachi- someone doing it, but anyways he asked. "Are we going to practice shuriken?"

"Something like that." Neji responded smirking. "You'll try to hit the bullseye and I'm going to try to block them with the chakra on my hands…" she reached for a brown blindfold "and my eyes blindfolded."

Sasuke was surprised and honestly wondered how she could stop the shuriken with chakra.

"Neji." He called. She finished tying the blindfold and faced him. "Yes?"

"How are you going to block the shuriken?" Sasuke asked grabbing some from his ninja pouch.

He seemed to have mentioned a pleasant subject since she actually smiled.

"You know what us Hyugas have?" she asked positioning herself in the middle of the clearing.

Sasuke tried remembering what his father had told him about Konoha's clans. The Inuzukas' had dogs –that was quite easy-, the Naras' had shadows and he couldn't remember very well the other clans but he did remembered the Hyugas' had the Byakugan. They had a Doujutsu just like the Uchihas' but he didn't had an exact idea of what that Byakugan could do.

"You have the Byakugan."

"And do you know what it does?"

"No." he said throwing a shuriken the furthest away from the girl's reach bullseye. Neji's smile accentuated morphing into a smirk. She extended her palm and when the shuriken was inches away from piercing her hand's skin it suddenly was pushed away falling on the ground.

"The Byakugan allows us to see through the chakra network at a more intricate level than the Sharingan." She began explaining, her stance relaxed waiting for Sasuke's next attempt.

Sasuke grabbed this time two shuriken aiming them towards considerably long distant between themselves.

The girl, with her palm, easily deflected the one nearer but with the other one, she almost failed. Her aloof movements were surprisingly swift for someone with their eyes blindfolded. Sasuke wondered how good she really was.

"It also facilitates us chakra control which comes as normal as breathing for us, therefore I can expel chakra from any tenketsu on my body. That's how I can deflect the shuriken without touching them." She finished explaining.

Sasuke was amazed. When he had first met her he had obviously known she was strong, but not actually that strong to actually being at his level or even surpass him. He hadn't noticed until that moment that they were quite similar. Their attitudes were cool and they did not wasted words –as well as they both were orphans seeking for revenge.

"Can all Hyugas' do that?" Sasuke asked mildly amused while throwing another four shuriken. This time she missed one, the shuriken hitting the bullseye's death center. Even after missing one, her smirk accentuated.

"Yes. Every Hyuga above 14 years." She answered him, a tinge of arrogance in her voice.

This time Sasuke smirked.

"So you're a genius." He stated after adding one more shuriken. Sasuke himself was considered a genius, not like Itachi, but still a genius. Again, she missed one but her smirk did not faltered.

"I guess you could call me that, but you are also one." Neji commented.

"I guess." They both dropped into their respective stances and continued with the training, a small smile playing on their lips.

The evening continued that way until Sasuke could throw ten shuriken at once aiming for dead center –or awfully close to it, and Neji could stop almost every one of them.

:.:.:.:

Neji was sitting crossed legged in the shade of the tree, sipping from her water bottle when Sasuke wondered if the feeling he was having was how it must feel having a friend. He sat beside her, finding himself admiring the long and thick lashes who were fluttering while the Hyuga was drinking water. He touched his own lashes noticing his were long too. He remembered his mother's lashes were long too, but the longest he'd ever seen were Shisui's and…Itachi's.

He really missed his family, and he wanted a friend. Sure, he had fangirls, but all of them only liked him because of their idea of him: a cool guy with good looks. He did not wanted to feel alone anymore.

"Neji." He muttered. The girl opened her white eyes, looked at him and gave him a nod indicating him to continue.

"Are you…my friend?" he asked blushing a crimson red. Sasuke looked at the ground embarrassed. After spending one afternoon with her, he already knew she was a stoic girl of few words but that did not meant that he didn't wished to be her friend. In fact, she was the first person he wanted to be friends with though he was truly scared of rejection.

Neji was astonished and, if Sasuke had been looking, he would have seen an event seen once in a millennium. She was gaping at him, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly parted. She hadn't ever had a friend.

"Do you want to be my friend?" she asked in response. With her 'talk to me and you're dead' attitude no one had ever wanted to befriend her, or if they wanted they hadn't dared to do it.

Sasuke looked at her and nodded, his face emotionless as always but with a nice pink color tinging his cheeks.

"Well, then I suppose we are friends, but… I am going to be honest with you. I've never had a friend so I don't know what friends do…" Neji muttered slightly ashamed for the first time of her lack of social skills.

"You're also my first friend." Sasuke interrupted smiling slightly. She watched him in astonishment.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Sasuke asked beginning to feel uncomfortable. He had never appreciated people staring at him, but with all the fangirls –stalkers- he had learnt to ignore it. However, when a pair of white pupilless eyes were staring right at him he couldn't help to feel a little unnerved.

The girl turned away flustered.

"Well, it's just that since…you know, you're an Uchiha, I thought you'd be loaded with friends." She simply responded.

Sasuke shrugged.

"I've never been the 'social type'."

"Neither have I." the girl mused aloud.

Neji nodded and took out her bento. There were some sashimi and two pieces of tempura accompanied with some fried rice. She sat crossed legged and broke her chopsticks. Neji was about to begin eating when she noticed Sasuke staring hungrily –in a discrete manner- at her bento box.

"Where's your lunch?" the Hyuga girl asked a bit concerned.

"Well, I kind of forgot… you see, my mom was the one who used to prepare them for me…" Sasuke trailed off. Since last week when he had returned to school, he hadn't been bringing his lunch. The only thing he knew how to cook was rice and that was on what he had been feeding on since he was released from the hospital. His thoughts were stopped abruptly when he noticed the bento box under his nose.

Sasuke stared at it surprised and then at Neji.

The girl handed him her chopsticks encouraging him to eat.

"B-but it's your lunch…" Sasuke complained pushing the bento away.

"I'm not really hungry, really. Besides, I'll be eating when I arrive home." She said shaking her head and handing him again the food. Sasuke insisted. Neji shot him an annoyed look and set the bento on the floor.

"Listen, when I…lost my father, I was four. I did not knew how to feed myself, and the first five months I survived by what the maids gave me. Then, for three months, I was feeding only on rice and eggs that I was ushered to learn how to cook." Sasuke looked at Neji surprised for her telling him something so personal taking into consideration they had just met some days ago. Still, he felt some connection. "Until I was five I learned how to cook myself something decent." Her expression was blank, but when she turned at him her eyes were filled with longing.

"Just eat, okay?" she said and shoved him the bento on his lap.

Sasuke stared at the bento a long time before picking the chopsticks, and hesitantly took a bite of a little bit of sashimi accompanied with rice. The flavors lingered on his tongue longer than necessary and he became aware of one, how hungry he was; and two, how much he missed the flavor on the food. If only there was some tomato…

Sasuke finished the bento quicker than expected, for once, forgetting his Uchiha manners. Once he was finished, the boy handed Neji the empty bento box and thanked her.

The newly-befriended pair spared a little bit until it was time to go back to their respective houses. Sasuke didn't had anyone waiting for him at home and did not wanted to return there. To that empty compound. In change, Neji, as every child of the branch house, had a curfew thought it only applied from Mondays to Thursdays.

Sasuke and Neji bid their goodbyes and left the clearing with a smile on their faces. _'I'll bring you tomorrow a basic cooking book I have, okay? And if we have spare time I'll try to explain it.'_ had been Neji's words. He couldn't wait to learn how to cook other than rice.

When Sasuke arrived at his empty house, he took a shower, dined –plain rice-, and laid on his bed recalling all the events of that day. If he had known that having a friend was such a pleasant experience he would have had searched for one long ago.

When Neji arrived at the Bouke's residence at 9:00 sharp –her curfew- she was sporting a tiny –yet not invisible- smile. The guard on the gate greeted her, but when she actually returned the greeting and he noticed the grin, saying he was left astonished was an understatement.

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 **Thanks for reading**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Ch.3: The Ghostly Compound_** "So…you've finally become a gennin." Sasuke smirked at his friend who now was sporting a brand new Konoha headband on her forehead. Over the last two years, she had started wearing bandages around her arm or leg aside from the forehead ones, and a weapons pouch.

"Yes, and in a year you also will." She answered. They were leaning on the same tree where they had hugged each other two years ago. Both of them had just finished earlier a training session. The last one.

"Top of the class, I suppose." Sasuke remarked what he already knew. He was absolutely sure that it would only boost her already high ego though he needed to confirm it.

Neji smirked arrogantly and nodded.

"You suppose well, and when you graduate I hope you also do it on top." The girl reminded him smugly.

"Tch. How low faith you have on me" Sasuke scoffed feigning hurt, still sporting his smirk. Even being the stoic beings they were, between each other they actually joked –even if it was almost every new moon.

Neji shook her head with a small smirk playing on her lips. Her all-seeing-eyes were closed and her arms were in their usual crossed position.

"You know this will be our last session, right?" Neji suddenly commented. Her breathing was steady but her permanent frown was in place.

Sasuke's smirk transformed into a scowl.

"Yes. Since you now are gennin you'll be busy with missions, training, and all that stuff." Sasuke said, repeating the words Neji had pronounced two months ago.

"Since this is our last training session I'll take you out for lunch." She stated walking away.

Sasuke nodded and followed her. They already understood perfectly the message the other wished to transmit within the lack of words. As when Neji proposed something and immediately trailed away, it was a sign of 'follow-me', or when Sasuke sat under the tree and closed his eyes leaning his chin on his folded hands, was a sign of him wanting to talk –which rarely happened.

"Well, you know these meetings are to be kept secret, so…do you know someplace where we won't really cross paths with people we know?" Neji asked him as they were walking out of the clearing.

Sasuke thought of it for a moment. The ramen shop was discarded. The dobe and almost everyone went there since it was in front of the Hokage Tower. The dango shop was in front of the gates –and it reminded him of Itachi- so everyone could see them. He began repassing all over his head the places where they could eat but he knew none.

"Well, you know about my situation so…how about you go and buy some food and I cook some in my house. Then we meet there." He suggested.

"I have never been in your house, Sasuke. I don't know where it is." The Hyuga girl deadpanned. They had arrived at the forest's outskirts.

Sasuke gave her his house's direction and they parted ways. Even if they had been friends for over two years, as a part of their agreement on making their friendship a secret, they hadn't ever gone to each other's houses.

It certainly was a sunny day as most at Konoha, but this one resembled Suna's weather. The center was crowded. Women wearing summer dresses, or tank-tops and shorts and flip-flops, children running around sporting shorts and men Bermuda shorts. The human heat everybody around her was radiating wasn't helping either.

Neji was walking through Konoha streets when she spotted her new teammates. Rock Lee and Tenten were chatting outside the restaurant she was heading for. She stopped in her tracks debating herself between going there or searching for another restaurant. However Sasuke had told her that the money his family had left him was managed by the Hokage, and clothes and food were bought by gennin on missions so he couldn't touch his money 'til he was 18 or ninja, and he wanted to try that place's food. So she made a decision. She placed her best indifference mask and rushed inside the establishment hoping no one to notice her. No such luck.

"Oh, Neji-chan! My youthful new teammate. The flower of our new team!" Rock Lee exclaimed and she inwardly cringed. She continued approaching the counter trying to ignore the overjoyed shouts. But that day luck wasn't on her side.

She turned around to see Lee waving at her and Tenten pretending not to know him. Lee had his black hair braided and Tenten his breast-long hair tied into a ponytail with a bang over his face. She turned away and focused on what she had initially come to do.

"Good afternoon, sir." She greeted politely to the young man on the counter. He was a young man –or probably a teenager- with brown hair and honey eyes. He appeared to be bored to death and it seemed like he was slowly dozing off.

"Good afternoon, how can I help you?" he asked a little startled shaking his head as if wearing off the somnolence. He leaned on the counter a little to see her better.

"Could you please give me two orders of… skipjack tuna, to take please."

"Would you like something to accompany them? We have rice balls, fried rice-"

"Rice balls, please."

After she paid for the meal she only had to wait. Neji sat a nearby empty table, but to her misfortune, Lee hadn't gone yet and approached her.

"Neji-chan! What brings you here to this excellent food establishment where we can-"

"Lee, shut up." Tenten scolded him smacking him on the head. The taller boy was looking at Neji in an apologizing way.

"Excuse me but I have to get going." She bowed and rushed for another table to wait, ending sitting on a table in front of the girls' restrooms much to her dismay.

"Mrs. Hyuga, your order is ready!" The counter man said her.

She bowed, muttered a 'thank you' for the food, and headed towards her next stop. When she rushed outside she noticed Lee and Tenten weren't in sight. A sigh of relief escaped her lips.

The market was packed and it being a sunny day didn't help much. She was sweating and her hair was sticking to the back of her neck. She finally got tired and tied it into an upper ponytail. Then she took off her jacket, tying it around her waist and proceed to the fruits' stand.

An old lady with her white hair tied into a tight bun was in charge, and a boy around her age with sandy hair and a ninja protector on his neck–who seemed to be the woman's grandson- was being bossed around by the lady.

"Tamaki-chan, weight this watermelon!" "Tamaki-chan, receive the change!" "Tamaki-chan, pick up that apple!" "Tamaki-chan, isn't that young lady pretty? Go help her." Was what she heard. The boy complained but his grandma pushed him towards her.

"Err…Good afternoon, how can I help you?" Tamaki asked her with a blush and looking at the ground embarrassed of his grandmother's antics.

"Good afternoon, could you give me 10 tomatoes, please." She asked politely, her expression blank.

The boy quickly went to his grandmother, and the woman picked the tomatoes.

"Ask her name, Tamaki-chan." The woman 'whispered' while giving him the tomato bag.

"No! I don't want to." He complained a little bit louder. People were starting to stare at the odd granny.

"If you don't, I'll go ask her and introduce you. Do you want me to do that?" The grandma threatened. She surely was persistent.

The boy only whimpered slightly and looked horrified at his grandma. He spared a last glare at his granny and approached Neji with the tomatoes bag.

"It would be 126 ryo." He said to Neji. The Hyuga was inwardly scoffing at the granny's antics.

She paid him and was about to walk away when the boy asked her.

"Ehem…excuse me, but…what is your name?" Neji just stared at him unperturbed with her aloof attitude. The boy looked back at his grandma who gave him a threatening glance. He looked at Neji and back at his grandma not knowing what to say 'til he spoke. "Name's… Sekonda Tamaki."

Any other day she would just leave but this day she was determined to bury deep her bitter self and spend it happily, and she had heard his grandma's threaten so she pitied him.

"Hyuga Neji." And with that, she left.

The market was more packed than when she had first arrived, so it was a tad more difficult with all the people there. However, at the end, she managed to get out through the civilians horde.

She followed Sasuke's instructions and arrived at the ex-Konoha police headquarters. The Uchiha crest stood proudly on the abandoned building, and Neji remembered some class with Mizuki-sensei where it had been talked that the Uchiha were the founders of the Konoha police.

She continued until she arrived at the outskirts of what looked like a small village –no, compound- and a big open gate with the Uchiha crest on top of it. Sasuke had told her that his house was the one at the very end, she only had to walk in straight line.

Neji remembered when she was younger and her older cousins used to try to scare her with ghost tales of dead Hyugas who came back after dead, or ghost desert villages. When she was four those stories hadn't scared her, but now she felt as if she was inside one of them. A dead silence reigned over the compound. The window crystals were darkened with a thick layer of dust on them. Old shop announcements were yellow for the time and the same atmosphere continued all along the compound. Neji questioned herself if such a massacre ever occurred to the Hyugas', the compounds would look like that after a few years. The own thought made her shudder.

Neji finally arrived at the end of the street where a house slightly bigger than the rest stood. It looked kind of rusty, but with her ninja trained hearing, she could hear some movement on some part of the house.

She grabbed the knocker and…well, knocked the door twice.

The Hyuga heard footstep approaching the door, and a second later it opened revealing Sasuke. He had changed his ninja attire into comfy black shorts and a loose navy blue shirt. When he saw her a tiny smile formed on his lips.

"Glad you made it."

She 'Hn' ed', took off her shoes and walked inside. Neji followed Sasuke to the kitchen where he indicated her where to set the bags. The kitchen wasn't a big one. It was painted a soft peach color with a darker tone on the edges. It was considerably cooler than outside and Neji let a relief sigh escape her lips.

"It's very hot outside, isn't it?" Sasuke said noticing how some hair tresses were sticking to the girl's pale face which was flushed.

"Awfully." Was her answer as she rinsed her hands. Her eyes slowly began taking in every detail in the place while taking out the food. She stood up and went to the sink to wash the tomatoes. Once she was finished she asked Sasuke for a knife and a cutting board. She began cutting the tomatoes into thin slices before cutting them all over again in smaller pieces. She asked Sasuke for a bowl, and once it was in her possession she emptied the tomatoes there.

Sasuke was carrying some plates, chopsticks, and teacups to the table. Neji took that as her cue to begin placing the food on the plates. The Uchiha went to the stove and returned with a steaming kettle. He poured green tea on them and sat seiza style, Neji mimicking him. They both thanked for the food, broke their chopsticks and bean eating in utter silence.

The silence was comfortable and the food delicious though Sasuke was flickering his eyes between the girl across the table and his food. Neji had also noticed the stares but kept her mouth shut. Finally, after some other glances, she spoke.

"Is something the matter?" she asked, her eyes pinning Sasuke's. The Uchiha held her stare without flinching but hesitation was written all over his face.

"I've been wanting to ask you something for some time now…May I?" he questioned, surprisingly asking for permission instead of just shooting the question. Neji stared at him, confusion denoting on her eyes 'till she nodded.

They had stopped eating. Sasuke placed his chopsticks on the table and locked their gazes. He thought –was sure- it was a touchy subject, but now he might never be able to talk to her again or at least in a very long time, and he needed to know. They were friends after all.

"What do you hide under your bandages?" he cautiously asked.

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **thx**


End file.
